Editor's Pick | Karnataka Governor sanctions investigation and prosecution of Chief Minister

Seeking a “neutral, objective and non-partisan” investigation into the alleged corruption by Karnataka Chief Minster Siddaramaiah in the allotment of land to his wife by the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA), Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot on Saturday sanctioned the investigation and persecution of the Chief Minister. The allotment in question was done in 2021 when the BJP was in power in the southern India state. The sanctions were based on petitions submitted by two Bengaluru-based social activists Pradeep Kumar S.P. and T.J. Abraham, along with Mysuru-based Snehamayi Krishna. Mr. Siddaramaiah has denied any role in facilitating the allotment. The incumbent Chief Minister has been claiming that MUDA had legally allotted 14 alternative residential sites to his wife, for having “illegally” taken over her land without any acquisition process. Having noted the error, the MUDA committee allotted the alternative sites in 2021 – when the now-in-opposition BJP was administering the state. Assessing the current chain of developments, State Ministers and other Congress leaders have accused the Governor of acting at the behest of the BJP leadership. It has further accused the main opposition party in the state of misusing Raj Bhavan to destabilise the government of the southern state. CM Siddaramaiah has also ruled out his resignation and said he would appeal the Governor’s sanction in court. The Governor’s sanction paves the way for an investigation against the Chief Minister under the provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act (PC) Act, 1988, at present, and not for his prosecution under the Act. If any court has to take cognisance of the alleged offences, that is, if the investigation leads to a chargesheet being filed against the incumbent Chief Minister, then a separate sanction would be required under Section 19 of the PC Act. The Hindu’s Profiles P.R. Sreejesh: Man with lightning reflexes Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh: Return of the Islamists The Hindu’s Daily Quiz Who was the first Indian to win an individual bronze post 1952? Karnam Malleshwari Rajyavardhan Rathor Leander Paes KD Jadhav To know the answer and to play the full quiz, click here. [logo] Editor's Pick 18 August 2024 [The Hindu logo] [EP Logo] Editor's Pick 18 August 2024 In the Editor's Pick newsletter, The Hindu explains why a story was important enough to be carried on the front page of today's edition of our newspaper. [View in browser]( [More newsletters]( Karnataka Governor sanctions investigation and prosecution of Chief Minister Seeking a “neutral, objective and non-partisan” investigation into the alleged corruption by Karnataka Chief Minster Siddaramaiah in the allotment of land to his wife by the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA), [Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot]( on Saturday sanctioned the investigation and persecution of the Chief Minister. The allotment in question was done in 2021 when the BJP was in power in the southern India state.  The sanctions were based on petitions submitted by two Bengaluru-based social activists Pradeep Kumar S.P. and T.J. Abraham, along with Mysuru-based Snehamayi Krishna. Mr. Siddaramaiah has denied any role in facilitating the allotment. The incumbent Chief Minister has been claiming that MUDA had legally allotted 14 alternative residential sites to his wife, for having “illegally” taken over her land without any acquisition process. Having noted the error, the MUDA committee allotted the alternative sites in 2021 – when the now-in-opposition BJP was administering the state.  Assessing the current chain of developments, State Ministers and other Congress leaders have accused the Governor of acting at the behest of the BJP leadership. It has further accused the main opposition party in the state of misusing Raj Bhavan to destabilise the government of the southern state. CM Siddaramaiah has also ruled out his resignation and said he would appeal the Governor’s sanction in court. The Governor’s sanction paves the way for an investigation against the Chief Minister under the provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act (PC) Act, 1988, at present, and not for his prosecution under the Act. If any court has to take cognisance of the alleged offences, that is, if the investigation leads to a chargesheet being filed against the incumbent Chief Minister, then a separate sanction would be required under Section 19 of the PC Act. The Hindu’s Profiles [Arrow][P.R. Sreejesh: Man with lightning reflexes]( [Arrow][Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh: Return of the Islamists]( The Hindu’s Daily Quiz Who was the first Indian to win an individual bronze post 1952? - Karnam Malleshwari - Rajyavardhan Rathor - Leander Paes - KD Jadhav To know the answer and to play the full quiz, [click here](. 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